Electric rectifying apparatus



'Mmh s, 1932.

s. SPAGNOLA ELECTMRECTIFYING APPARATUS FiledfJulyfzs, 192.8'

.fuzz/endo 7*:

Patented Mar.y 8, 1932 SAMUEL s'PAeNoLA, l or; TUcnAHou NEW vom:

nnncrnic RECTIFSYING APPARATUS 4 Applicaties 'mefrfJuly 23,419.28'.yi'Seriaruo;294,751;

This invention` relates toA arectifying orf 1 transforming apparatusl whereby high tension alternating current'mayfbe transformed faV somewhat ldiagrammatic view illustrating "into direct current, the object ofthelinvenf 5 tion being to avoid certain objectionsfor dif- I'iculties heretofore existingin recti'fyingVap-V fparatusfnow in use; .l

' alternating currenty is4 transformed-by Vbeing Qpassedthrough a rectifying transformer by through-a plurality of .insulators to electrodes arranged in afvacuum' ch amber. said vacuum chamber are a pluralityioffnoz- 5' AZlesr having minute discharge openings, each of these nozzles being connected with "a'pipe manifold #communicating with a pump byy whichmercury is forced through the saidv manifold pipes to the said nozzles insuch"v a manner as to cause atomizedsprays ofmercury to bombard YandV electrically connect spaced apart electrodesl arrangedfinsaid chamber by striking an-iarc between them this result in this case-beingeffectedfbya mercury vapor or atomized spray,l resulting ina copious liberation of electrons from a hot body'i One electrode ise'lectrical-ly controdeslby strikingian arc betweenthe same.

' nected with apositive terminal 'ofthe rectio'ffying loady Yand the'.negativeVY terminal is deingtransformer which lmay be utilizedfor driving anyl direct current motor, certainy A-ra-k 1 dio,A or otherl directf currentappara'tus, 1T he condensed mercury spray -in the vacuum:

Y current; thereby increasing the capacity output of the'relctiflerdue to the increased ioniza- Y "ticnof the molecules ofthey gas and resulting chamber is returned toa well in the bottom of said chamber and from this vwell `l it Vflows downward to a tank orjwell fromrwhic-h it is taken by the mercuryjpumpto be again" Y K K of the rectifier.: The atomized spray mercury Vforced upward Vinto the vacuum chamber.

for the'v'acuum chamber, an exhaust appara# tus is preferably connected with the mercury pump insuch' a manner that a kcolumnof mercury forced upward under pressure may In carrying-:the invention l into'y effect' the- Withinthe rived from the neutralpoint 'of thefrectify-- To `avoidthe use of a'special vacuum pump be returned by gravity so as to pass through. a restricted orifice and thereby create a suc-y tion through a pipe connected with the said vacuum chamber, and thus, by the induced? suction, maintain the proper degree of vac uum inthe lsaid vacuum chamber, this suc-V theinvention. Fig; 2 is a detail `view '.of the exhaustydevice'for the vaCuumchamber. c

f "R-eferringv to the drawings, the alternatfing' current-passes through conductors `[2to f` 11a Vrectifier transformerconsistingfof primary :and Y:secondary :elements 13` VVand vle; `From this rectifying transformer thev lcurrentv passes through a plurality of conductors l'and 1nrangedV ina vacuumchamber afforded by a tively conne'ctedwith a mercury Apump 2lby l' whichmercury is forced' through a pipe 22A fsulators k16 to v a plurality Vofele"ctrodesl arf connected by manifoldfpipes with nozzles 2flhaving'minute discharge openings, said nozzlesbeing herein shown as arranged between the cathode electrode' or electrodes 25 in lthesaid vacuum chamber and the said electrodes'17` Byvirtue of this arrangement of L'the vparts above' referred'to atomized A sprays f ofmercury issuing yfrom the said nozzleswillA electrically connect the said cathode and elec# It will befnoticed thatI thean'od'esrlfl? "ares solid bodies-against rwhichthejatomized mer' curyspraysimpingefin contradist-inctionto Y if mercury Vor lother liquidanodes.

greatercontactareas are afforded for ythe i-'nfan increase' of electroniiow tothe anode condenses and runsdown the slopingbottom 18a of the vacuum chamber, aorded by the vcasing V18," tota central well'i26which receives Y' the condensed mercury and returns 'the same :through a pipe27 to ar supply receptaclelor YAwell 28 n communicating,- through a suction '1 feed pipe 29, with the mercury pump 21.

*The discharge 4vor 'deliveryplpe 21aA conbra-nzched-so astoconnect with'a pipe 30 the nected with the mercury pump 21 communicates not-:only with the feed pipe 22 but is Y f pipe 22 may be closed by a valve 34, and when a proper vacuum has been effected within the vacuum chamber of the casing 18 the said valve 34 may be opened for the purpose of spraying the mercury between the electrodes and 17 thereby avoiding the use of a speber. Thus as soon as a propervacuum is obthus the transformer or rectifier is set intoV r voperation without the assistance of a special cialexhaust pump for the said vacuum chamtained in the vacuum chamber, the rectier is energized, and the valve 34 is opened; and

starter, as is required in mercury rectiiers now. generally in use. s

To prevent crossing currents between the di'erent sets of electrodes, as also to prevent vshort circuiting, due to mercury spray which may accidently reach the casing 18, barriers 37 are preferably interposed between the sets of electrodes and also between the electrodes and such casing.

f From the foregoing itwill be understood that the invention presents certain advantages over mercury rectiiiers or transformers novi in use in that by electrically connecting aplu- 46 rality of sets of electrodes by'a plurality ofconducting areas are presented that more kcurrent may be rectiied by an apparatus of atomized sprays offmercury so much surface a given size than is possible by the mercury rectiersnow in use.

' As another advantage'of the invention itl may be mentioned that in the use of this im-l proved rectifying apparatus, no rpreheating of the anodes isnecessary, as the mercury spray or vapor becomes incandescent and thus imparts suilicient heat to the anodes tol enable them to function properly. Also the invention eliminates the necessity of an auX- iliary maintaining electrode, as also the necesi the streams of atomized mercury spray in the l sity of a special exhaust pump for the vacuum chamber, or a special starter for the apparatus.

By so directing the mercury or confining A direction of the anodes, a greater number of positive or ionized bodies are produced, thus increasing the electron stream to the anodes, and thereby eliminating random velocities at the crater of the mercury pool of the cathode. Also sputtering and bombardment of these mercury molecules causes the liberation l sprays.`

prising a vacuum chamber, a plurality of sets of spaced-apart electrodes therein and cornof ions and electrons produced by friction, and also carries down and precipitates the foreign gases so that the rectifier is completely freed from such gases.

It will be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the details of construction herein shown, as it is believed to be broadly new to connect a plurality of sets of electrodes, in a rectifier vacuum chamber, by means of a plurality of atomized mercury Having thus described my invention, I claim an desire to secure by Letters Patent:

v1. An, electric rectifying apparatus comprising anodes made of solid material, and means for electrically connecting said electrodes by a plurality of atomized mercury sprays projected from the cathodes against the anodes.

2. An electric rectifying apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, a plurality of sets kof spaced-apart electrodes therein,v a mercu receptacle, a mercury force pump commumeating with said receptacle, a plurality of spray nozzles through which the mercury is forced from the cathodes to the anodes to form a plurality of atomized mercury sprays, pipeconnections between said pump and said 9 nozzles, and meansfor driving said pump.

3.' An electric rectifying apparatus comprising a casing affording a vacuumchamber,

a plurality of sets of electrodes in said chamber, a mercuryreceptacle, a plurality of spray lo nozzles in said chamber, means for forcing mercury through said nozzles to form a plurality of atomized mercury sprays between said electrodes, barriers between the sets of electrodes and also between the sets of electrodes and said casing to prevent cross currents, and means for returning the condensed mercury to said receptacle.

- 4. An electric rectifying apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, spaced-apart electrodes therein, a mercury receptacle, a mercury pump communicating with said receptacle, spray nozzles in said chamber, pipe connections between said pump and'said nozzles, means for driving said pump, and suction means, operated by mercury forced upward by said pump, for exhausting air from said vacuum chamber.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

SAMUEL SPAGNOLA. 

